I am a lineman for the county
posted by The Sailor @ 5:45 PM Permalink I went to drop off my absentee ballot today and I saw longer lines than at the after party of a Guns & Roses concert. (Hmm, I may be dating myself with that reference ... but considering I just broke up with my gf that may be all the dating I'll be doing for awhile. [/rimshot!])But seriously folks, the early voting lines in my county were around the block. The pollworker inside told me that they'd been that way since early voting started. She said they'd estimated that 27,000 people had already voted, and expected to top 30,000+ by the time they closed today. And it's not election day yet.
Here's a bit o' perspective on that number: My county has about 128,000 people in it as of 2007. My city, the county seat, has about 72,000.
And while I fervently want Obama to win, regardless of whoever these folks are voting for I'm just proud that people are voting in such numbers.
So tomorrow I'm going to spend part of my day walking up and down the voting lines handing out water, (and the occasional treat to a fractious child), so that people will keep standing in line to vote and exercise the most important tool we have in our democracy.
Maybe I could spend the time better by volunteering to drive folks to the polls, or on phone banks for Obama, but I hate standing in line so much that anyone who is willing to stand inline to vote for that long deserves some water of human kindness. No strings or electioneering involved.
That said; I live in Eastern Standard Time. Just because a national vote may be forecast for you or agi'n you, you still have to get out and vote! Your community, your state needs you to vote!
Depending on where you live; that school board, that city council, that county council, that judgeship, will probably matter more to you and yours than who is president.
Don't look at the national polls and get complacent or discouraged and NOT vote.
GO VOTE!
It can mean all the difference in the world.
Addendum:
Election Protection, a nonpartisan organization:
* For immediate assistance, call the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline.
Cross posted at SteveAudio
Labels: VOTE
3 Comments:
Most excellent post and idea re: the water and candy and most of all VOTING. If I could stay on my feet that long I would do the same thing here in California.
It's sad that we haven't seen more reminders of the millions who have died to guarantee our right to vote to impress upon all the people how very precious and important this right to vote is.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Bill.
If we look around and think about it for just a second, those reminders are with us every day.
And besides, I'm just taking half a day off to walk outside, believe me, it's the least I can do.;-)
Yer welcome, my friend.
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